Controlling Room Temperature

Tips for Controlling Room Temperature in Your Home

Keeping the inside temperature of your home steady and comfortable is an extremely effective way of ensuring that your home heating costs stay low during the winter.  No matter what type of heating system you have, it’s important to maintain it well – and taking certain steps can help you troubleshoot problems instantly and maintain a constant temperature without straining your HVAC system.

Why monitor the temperature of my home?

Just like gas or electric ovens, heating systems cycle on and off in order to maintain a steady temperature.  A home thermostat operates on a closed control loop: it reads the temperature, assesses whether this number is higher or lower than the temperature set by the homeowner, and boosts power or reduces power to match the number.  If you notice that the temperature of your home rises and falls by even a few degrees throughout the day, the problem may not be with your thermostat – it could be with your heating system.

Key checkpoints for controlling room temperature

• The actual temperature.  The human body’s perception of temperature depends on a number of factors, and even if you’re guessing that your system is wrong you could be over- or under-estimating the temperature in your house.  Even if your thermostat has a thermometer, it’s probably also a good idea to place another thermometer in the center of the room to judge the actual temperature.
• The thermostat.  How long has it been since you replaced or repaired the thermostat in your home?  If your thermostat is out-of-date, it may be time to replace it for a more modern digital model.  A thermostat issue is easily fixed and can be diagnosed by a heating and cooling specialist.
• Your furnace’s defrost cycle.  Depending on where in your house your furnace is located, extremely cold temperatures with high humidity can cause frost to form on the heating coils.  Your furnace should have a defrost cycle designed to remove frost from coil piping packages, and if frost persistently fails to melt it’s best to have a repairman look at your furnace.
• A balanced system.  Your heating water distribution system is said to be “in balance” when the flow measurements for the system match its specifications.  An out-of-balance system means that water will be unevenly distributed throughout the house, sending more heat to some rooms than others and causing the system to cycle on and off more than necessary.  Even heat distribution means less energy used, so talk to a specialist about automatic balancing or control valve suppliers that can equip your system with more efficient valves.
• Windows and doors.  Check that all windows and doors in your home are closed and properly sealed around the edges.  Sealing caulk is a low-cost solution to drafty windows.  It may also be beneficial to check the attic ventilation system.

For more information on piping and valve kits, visit Flo-Pac online.